


scatter the grace in your eyes

by Ro29



Series: "Be the Rarepair content you want to see in the world" [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Boring Social Events, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, Meet-Cute, Multi, Padmé is weak for these two and honestly mood, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27461617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ro29/pseuds/Ro29
Summary: “Well, it would seem Depa,” She says, something conspiratorial slipping into her voice, “that I have the rest of the night after this free, so I’ll be glad to accompany you and your partner to your appointment.”Depa smiles, and her eyes are warm and happy as she replies, “Wonderful.”
Relationships: Depa Billaba/Luminara Unduli/Padmé Amidala
Series: "Be the Rarepair content you want to see in the world" [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022017
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	scatter the grace in your eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lastbattlecry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastbattlecry/gifts).



> Cry is an awful, _awful_ enabler and this is all his fault.
> 
> title from Willis Barnstone's translation of Sappho's Fragment 138

There is a quiet shift of fabric and the soft sound of footsteps drawing closer. Padmé has all of a second to brace before there is a body slipping into the booth with her and she curses in her head. Sips at her drink as nonchalant as she can and flicks her eyes up, steals a glance at her companion.

Is surprised to find none of the Senators or particularly persistent aides sitting there as she expects, meets the warm eyes of Master Billaba instead. She _doesn’t_ choke, though she imagines that her surprise is perfectly televised for the Jedi anyways.

“Senator Amidala,” the Jedi says, nods with respect, “Wonderful to see you, I trust you’re doing well at this fine social event?”

The words, Padmé notes, are all perfectly diplomatic and friendly, the small smile she wears on the other hand, is just this side of out of place. It may have started out real when she first got here, but now is just stuck there. Not overly obvious, but Padmé has been in politics since before she was Queen-Elect of her people at fourteen.

She knows, intimately, the feeling of a smile once genuine turned sore-cheeks plastered into something just above a grimace.

“Master Billaba,” she greets, sips once more at her drink before setting it down with a smile. “It is good to see you as well. I must admit to feeling the touch of boredom, but with the _fine_ company we’ve been gifted, the night has been,” she purses her lips, “ _interesting._ ”

Master Billaba smiles, muffles a snort, “Please Senator, Depa is fine. And I find myself agreeing with you on the topic of our fellow guests and interesting night.” She ducks her head, smiles up at Padmé through her eyelashes, “Though I must admit to some relief in that I have not had to fend off as many eager conversation companions as you have, though I do find myself understanding why. You make for stunning and simply delightful company”

Padmé feels laughter bubbling up in her throat, and is suddenly immensely grateful for the Jedi for sitting with her and for making her feel this happy when before she had just been exhausted.

She grins brightly, “Depa, you flatter me. But thank you, it brings me great joy to know that I’m not a dull conversationalist, and that if we must suffer through the last little bit of this event we can at least do so together.”

Master Billaba—Depa—smiles, and laughs gently, makes something warm settle in Padmé’s chest. “Yes, and let’s see if we can not enjoy it with the cure of each other’s company, yes?”

Padmé smiles, and nods and then, because she has always been just a little too impulsive for Sabé’s poor blood pressure, she leans in and asks, “Do you happen to be doing anything after this Depa?”

Depa’s eyes gleam, and she laughs, smiles small and gentle, “As it so happens Senator, I unfortunately do, however I believe my partner for that will be more than accommodating if you were to join us.”

Padmé tilts her head, thinks over her schedule and if she’s needed anywhere at all for the rest of the night. She can’t come up with anything and she grins. Leans forward casually, elbows resting on the table and places her chin on her hands.

“Well, it would seem Depa,” She says, something conspiratorial slipping into her voice, “that I have the rest of the night after this free, so I’ll be glad to accompany you and your partner to your appointment.”

Depa smiles, and her eyes are warm and happy as she replies, “ _Wonderful.”_

Padmé feels a giggle waiting to escape in a way that she hasn’t in a long while and the buzzing in her blood that comes from doing something exciting.

She leans back, easy and relaxed, doesn’t let the excitement show just yet, doesn’t want to jinx it all by having someone notice her and come to try and talk with her.

She’s already done all her rounds for the night, talked to everyone she wanted to or needed to and spoken with most people who wanted to speak to her. She gets to have this, she thinks, as a reward to herself if nothing else.

“Might I enquire as to what we’ll be doing?” She asks, and Depa’s grin is mischief lined with something wicked.

“Why, my dearest senator, after all the pomp and grandeur of the event I had thought that dinner at some nice cozy place would make for a good evening.” Depa says, voice like honey, Padmé tips her head in question, narrows her eyes.

Depa taps out, in Naboo code, ‘low-stakes mission, stakeout, safe-enough.’

Padmé blinks twice, smiles and taps two fingers up to her lips in ‘message received.’

She has about two seconds of thought which consists entirely of ‘ _oh she’s a smart one damn it all to the stars_.’

She has always been aware of her own weaknesses; smart, competent, pretty women are one of them.She clears her throat, drinks the rest of her drink and then smiles, glances around the room.

She hums in thought, turns to Depa and asks innocently, “When is your partner coming to pick you up?”

Depa smiles, catches the meaning and stands, fluid and graceful. Offers her arm to Padmé, “We would actually be going to meet her, and she should be at the meet point already.”

Padmé laughs, slips out of the booth and accepts the offer, “Well then, we best be going, no?”

Depa laughs, a gorgeous and joyful thing, and nods, “Indeed, Senator dearest.”

Padmé does _not_ flush, but she does feel her cheeks warm faintly and she attempts to wrestle some composure back. Fails in the face of Depa’s warm, dark, eyes and the dimples that show when she smiles.

She leans the tiniest bit of her weight against Depa, makes sure she can still access at least her blaster and one of her vibro-blades if needed, and they make it out of the room and out onto the street without being approached by anyone wishing to talk to either of them.

She hums, as they slip off to a side alley, “Where are we meeting with your partner?”

Depa smiles at her, answers with a pointed look to Padmé’s outfit, “Luminara—Master Unduli—will be waiting for us at the dinner on 20th street on the level just below us.”

“Ahh,” Padmé says, understanding, “Well then, it’s a good thing I can shed the more overt parts of this ensemble.”

Depa laughs, “Yes, I’d assumed so, clothes of Naboo make are often quite the tricky things.”

Padmé snorts, “Yes, that is one way to describe them I suppose.” She slips the outer, far more voluminous layer of the skirt off, undoing the ties and clasps with practiced ease. Shrugs out of the heavier, robe-like portion of her top.

She’s left with a much less noticeable top, a deep red, with flowing sleeves and silver stitched hem. Fabric going down to just past her shins, a much less ornate skirt with a simple pattern imprinted in it. She looks up, meets Depa’s eyes as she redoes a simpler tie to cinch the waist.

Depa’s eyebrow is raised and says with humour clear in her voice, “Well, you were prepared for needing to move quickly.”

Padmé smiles, pleased. “Always, I’ve survived too many things, and have too careful a security staff, to be any less than prepared.”

Depa smiles, steps forward and traces the design of the sleeves, “Gorgeous.”

Padmé laughs, nods, “Yes, my planet does make simply stunning designs, I must admit some pride in that.”

Depa grins, nods, “Yes, it does, but I wasn’t talking about the dress.”

She blinks, let’s a startled giggle slip and feels like she’s a teenager again. She pushes it down, tucks a bit of hair behind her ear and coughs gently.

“Well then, is there any place for me to put these?” she gestures to the puddle of fabric, Depa’s grin is mischievous and wicked and Padmé thinks, rather tartly, that it is _entirely_ unfair of her.

“Speeder, Senator, we can tuck it away until I can escort you home afterwards.”

Padmé nods, “Thank you Depa, and please, I must insist, Padmé is _more_ than fine.”

Depa gives more information, the bits that aren’t classified at least, to her on the trip to the diner. And though she documents it all in her head, makes note of the important things, she lets herself just listen to the gentle, almost musical, lilt of Depa’s voice.

Depa helps her out of the speeder and as they step through the door to the diner, they’re met by a Mirilan who greets Depa with a warm smile and Padmé with a dip of the head and a quiet 'Hello'.

Depa grins, settles a hand onto the Mirilian's—Master Unduli, she remembers—elbow, "Hello dear, I'm glad to see you well."

Master Unduli smiles, “Thank you Depa, I’m glad to see you safe. Any complications?”

Depa shakes her head, “No, not on my mission, nor at the event, although I did have a lovely time once I met Ms. Padmé.”

Master Unduli looks at her with a sparkle in her eyes, tilts her head, and Padmé is sure she knows who she is despite Depa’s clever work around, to keep listening ears from having their interest spiked.

“A pleasure, Padmé,” She says, reaches out a hand and grips Padmé’s hand lightly, smiles sweetly, “please, call me Luminara.”

Depa watches them with a smirk and Padmé feels, suddenly, as if she has bitten off a bit more than she can chew.

Oh well, she’s always been wonderful at adapting. And besides, she doesn’t think she’ll regret it, not when Luminara smiles, reserved and yet so clearly happy, when Depa grins and her dimples show.

No, she doesn’t think she’ll regret this at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Listen...... _listen_ I just....They. I'm....Your honour i love them.
> 
> If you want to find me other places I have a [writing tumblr](https://rose-blooms-red.tumblr.com) and a [fandom tumblr](https://themessofthecentury.tumblr.com)
> 
> Please come yell at me about Star Wars and DC!


End file.
